Thursday, November 29, 2012

When creativity speaks to me, I listen. Sometimes. Occasionally. Well…not always. But often.

Creativity
knows I get frustrated with her at times because she is not always easy
to understand. During one of our more challenging encounters,
Creativity and I had a lengthy discussion. Creativity explained to me
that she is one of my greatest teachers (as is often the case with
challenging relationships.) The following is what Creativity told me about the passionate connection we have through intuitive painting.

Creativity Speaks!

I teach you patience. When
you begin a new painting, you are eager to see the results. You often
want to rush through the process so you can see what the outcome will
be. I beckon you to slow down and bask in the unknown. I know it is not
always easy for you to let go of your need to hurry up and be finished.
Through the process of painting, I remind you that there is plenty of time and space to walk on a long and winding path with me, your creativity. Yes, it is a cliché and here it goes anyway – patience is a virtue.

I teach you to let go of attachment.
Painting something, liking it and then watching it change with a few
uncertain globs of paint from a paint brush is a good way to practice
letting go of attachment. Only from letting go of attachment can risks
be taken and horizons broadened. Through the process of painting, I
strengthen your ability to Let Go of what is, so you can embrace what can be.

I teach you to take risks.
Don’t you just love it when you think you are finished with a painting
and then I say three little words that turn your stomach inside out? “Mess It Up.”
Sometimes you go along with me and other times you do not. By taking
the risk of messing up your painting, you allow it to become something
new. Without fail, you also uncover gems that would otherwise remain in
hiding. This reinforces the rewards that result from embracing change.

I teach you to have more courage. I know it can be daunting to stand before a blank canvas and have no idea what you will paint. Every time you pick up that paint brush and begin anew, you build up your courage muscle.
Often, the most challenging moment is when you first begin. Pushing
through the fear of the unknown and shifting into playful exploration is
energizing. You will discover that you are capable of much more than
you could ever imagine.

I teach you to listen.
The more you paint, the louder my voice becomes. I will not let you
down. You might not understand the direction I am taking you in and that
is okay. The gold is in your heightened ability to listen to the voice of guidance (creativity!). Andas you listen, I am also teaching you to trust your inner knowing.

I teach you to trust.
I am on your side. I welcome your desire to connect with me, your
creativity. No matter what your painting looks like, I enjoy spending
time with you and together, we create a masterpiece. Ultimately, you are
the one who deserves the credit because without your willingness to listen and trust the painting process, there would be no painting.
Simply by showing up with your paintbrush and a palette of paints, you
are trusting the process of painting will offer you something
worthwhile.

I teach you to be uniquely you.
So what if the horse you paint does not look like any other horse
you’ve ever seen in your life. It’s your horse and it does not have to
conform to a certain standard. Your paintings do not have to make sense,
look pretty or reflect reality. On paper, you are able to branch out
and express the real you, no matter what that might look like. As you become more comfortable being you, you relax and your world expands.

I teach you to let go of control and make messes.
Birth is messy. Without embracing messiness, options are limited. While
messiness is a mixed bag of pros and cons, it is a part of the creative
process. And remember, messiness is temporary.

I teach you to play.
Adult life takes people to very serious places. I give you a break from
that part of life and pull you into a ‘process painting playpen’ where
you can safely play with color, shapes, images, glitter and whatever
else your heart delights in. Don’t worry, that adult life will be right
there waiting for you when you walk away from your easel. You can have
your serious adult life AND playful times if you are willing to give
yourself permission to do so. In other words, I bring you balance.

I teach you to be free. I
support you in being comfortable with yourSELF. No longer shackled by
trying to please others or conform to a certain ways of being, I help
you break away from a disempowering habit of comparing and contrasting
yourself (and your paintings) to others. I help you build up your
self-confidence as you step more fully out into the world. You feel
freer to show your true colors and wear them proudly. The more you
paint, the more opportunities you have to overcome the disempowering
voice of the inner critic. You learn to make a choice
that is in alignment with your heart’s desire (instead of caving into
the inner critic) and this awakening gives you new wings.

I teach you to bask in Joy. When
all is said and done, and you have pushed through the negative voices
of the inner critic and you have traveled on a long and winding path
with me AND you see the outcome that YOU’VE created, you willexperience great joy in that moment. Be present, notice and give thanks.

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As our conversation came to a close, I
thanked Creativity for spelling out some of the many virtues she is
capable of bringing into my life. Creativity reminded me that intuitive
painting is just one of many ways that we can connect with her and I
agreed. However, I LOVE intuitive painting because it has the potential
to touch on everything listed above during the process of creating a
single painting. Yes, Creativity is a powerful teacher and a sneaky one
too. She forgot to mention that the gateway into her teachings is
usually through FUN and that’s one of the best ways to learn anything!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

I inherited ugly wallpaper when I moved into my house eight years ago. Those in the know informed me that stripping wallpaper is not fun
and that I might find some unwelcome surprises under the wallpaper.
Best to paint over the wallpaper and leave well enough along.

So,
I did just that but never felt much love for the painted wallpaper.
Still, every time I thought about stripping the wallpaper, I would hear
“the voice” spring to life in my head. “Don’t do it. Probably a big mess under that wallpaper. It’s a much bigger job than you realize.”

This
week I decide the wallpaper must go. I visit Home Depot and consult
with the expert sales associate who shows me the supplies I need and
then an amazing thing happens. The Voice resurfaces. The nice guy at
Home Depot ends his explanation of wallpaper removal by looking deep
into my eyes before saying, “it’s going to be a big job. It’s a real pain to do this. You sure you want to do it?”

For
a moment, time stands still as I marvel at the cleverness of my inner
critic who has impressively found a way to speak to me through a total
stranger. My response is forthright. “Yes, I’m going to do it.” With a
nod, the guy looks at me, shrugs his shoulders and says, “okay, but
don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

And to the world I want to say….

Yes, it was a BIG job.

Yes, I uncovered a big hole in the wall that I had to deal with.

Yes, it took me way more time and energy than I expected.

And

YES, I did it!

I
tell you this story to share with you that the practice of intuitive
painting has strengthened my ability to push through negative voices
(AKA: inner critic, gremlin) that try to talk me out of doing the things
I really want to do.

How does this work?

Often,
while playing with intuitive painting, you will hear the voice of your
intuition attempt to guide you in a certain direction with the paints or
colors. At the same time, the inner critic will often try to convince
you to resist the guidance of your intuition. If you allow the inner
critic to win, you will most likely become bored or disengaged with your
painting. However, when you push through the resistance that is created
by the inner critic and paint in the way your intuition tells you to
paint, you are renewed with a sense of aliveness and excitement.

We
usually have no idea how much our inner critic is running the show,
keeping us from doing the things we really want to do. The practice of
Intuitive painting allows you to turn up the volume on the voice of your
intuition while simultaneously turning down the volume of the inner
critic in all areas of life, not just painting.

Believe me, I know. I’ve got a garbage bag full of wallpaper scraps to prove it!

Happy Painting!

Beverly

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After Thanksgiving Intuitive Painting Class

NEXT INTUITIVE PAINTING CLASS IS NOVEMBER 24 from 9am til noon.Cost: $35 for three hours of playful painting, includes all supplies